STRETCHING EXERCISE | KAIROS GLOBAL | AUGUST 2026

Author: Anil Israel

Audio:https://open.spotify.com/episode/592IlgffuLxBRJRZ5tUhnr

Intro: Anil Israel  reminds us of our calling as children of God, to reflect peace in this world from the One who is the source of all peace.

Everyone genuinely longs for peace. All our efforts, be it excellence in any discipline or the achievement of a dream goal, are driven by the inner motivation that this will eventually, in some sense, bring us peace. Behind man’s innermost search for meaning lies the inborn undying longing for peace.

We normally tend to perceive peace as the absence of war. And war is perceived as conflict at an international level. Surely world peace is of such utter significance that in 1981 the United Nations General Assembly established the International Day of Peace on the third Tuesday of September, the regular opening of the General Assembly’s annual sessions. In 2001, just ten days after the 9/11 attacks, on 21 September, the global war on terror was launched. Thereafter, every year, 21 September is observed as the UN-declared International Day of Peace.

Decades before, in December 1967, Pope Paul VI established the World Day of Peace, inspired by Pope John XXIII’s landmark peace encyclical Pacem in Terris. Since 1968, the Catholic Church has celebrated the World Day of Peace on 1 January to pray for universal peace. By setting apart a dedicated day, mankind is reminded to pray exclusively for peace in the world and uphold the significance and value peace deserves.

God is our source of peace. He is our peace (Ephesians 2:14). Peace is beyond the human realm; it has divine origin. Being one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit, only a life led by the Spirit can yield peace. Where the Holy Spirit is present, there the source of peace is present. Also, it is the Spirit who gives life (John 6:63). When we live a Spirit-led life, then we truly live. It is only then that we are at peace. So to be in ‘peace-mode,’ we need to tune in to a life driven by the Holy Spirit. Scripture emphatically proclaims that to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace (Romans 8:6).

‘God cannot give us happiness and peace apart from Himself, because it is not there. There is no such thing’ (CS Lewis). Jesus, the Prince of peace (Isaiah 9.6), gave us His divine peace: Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you (John 14:27). This heavenly peace is beyond human comprehension. The peace of God surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:7). 

Shalom is the Hebrew word for peace. It implies wholeness, completeness and soundness. It refers to the restoration of a person’s relationship with God. It signifies an inner calm and sense of well-being that transcends external circumstances or worldly conflicts. 

If our hearts are not at ease, they are not at peace, a sign of a rupture in our relationship with God; a sign of the loss of the presence of the divine – a separation from God – a state of sin. Sin causes a rupture not only in our relationship with God but also in our relationships with others and our relationship with ourselves. 

Since we are created in the image and likeness of the triune God, who is the source of peace, we are created to reflect peace in the world. When we, who are merely members of the mystical body of Christ, are not at peace, could we be influencing universal peace? Since we are all children of God, we are meant to be in relationship with each other. ‘If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other’ (St Teresa of Calcutta).

At the final blessing that concludes each Mass: ‘Go in peace, glorifying the Lord with your life,’ we are being sent on a peace mission – to be an ambassador of peace – to walk the way of peace (Romans 3:17), and spread the gospel of peace (Ephesians 6:15). We are called to be intentional apostles of peace. 

Only when we imitate Him can we radiate Him. To imitate Him, we are to love as He loves – seeking the good of the other and willing to lay down our lives. Every martyr is a luminous agent of peace. Often it is in this humbling of ourselves, by putting love into action and making a sincere gift of ourselves, that we emerge into the image of children of God. We become His messengers of peace – His peace bearers. Every peacemaker is therefore undoubtedly a true child of God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God (Matthew 5:9).

This universal calling to be a child of God implies that we all must make our own inevitable unique contribution toward the mega peace project. Scripture also reminds us: Strive for peace with all men (Hebrews 12:14). This requires me to step out of my comfort zone. I need to flex my spiritual muscles, expand my heart to receive His divine power and endeavour with His grace in the daily spiritual warfare to be a courageous warrior of peace. Am I willing to walk the narrow path of showering goodness on those who thrust evil? What’s my sincere response?

When we tend to perceive ourselves as utterly insignificant in this magnificent mission, let us remind ourselves that our seemingly insignificant contributions are immensely significant in the divine plan. All of us can at least pray. ‘Pray the Rosary every day to obtain peace for the world’ (Our Lady of Fatima).

St Teresa of Calcutta’s simple path: The fruit of silence is prayer, the fruit of prayer is love, the fruit of love is service, the fruit of service is peace. May putting love in action be the stretching exercise that the Lord is counting on me.